MODULAR VS STICK

December 4, 2011 at 12:00a.m.

McClatchy Newspapers

NEWPORT NEWS, Va.

When Jack and Gina Sheehan wanted to demolish and replace their 1952-built waterfront home in Yorktown, Va., they didn’t choose the custom-built route.

Instead, they went with what is mostly a modular home.

“I did a lot of research online, looking at modular, the pros and cons, and visiting a couple of factories in Virginia and North Carolina,” says Sheehan, a retired aeronautical engineer who is now a business development consultant.

“When you look at the construction methods, you found out the basic factories are all about the same. The difference is what is put into the engineering and quality controls.”

In the end, the couple went with Professional Building Systems in Middleburg, Pa., because the company was better able to work with their custom plan and still give them the benefits of buying modular.

By the holidays, the Sheehans hope to have moved into their three-story house with 2,700 square feet of modular-built living space on two floors.

The first level is a custom-built, above-ground basement with garage space and full bath designed by an architect.

Accustomed to damaging storms like Hurricanes Isabel in 2003 and Irene this year, the Sheehans are also building their home to withstand 130 mph winds; any flooding will be limited to the garage level. Instead of the standard 2-by-6 framing studs, basement walls are done with 2-by-8s, placed closer together, or on 12-inch centers instead of 24-inch centers. Bolts, larger-than-usual hurricane clips and threaded rods that go into the concrete footers help tie the house and foundation together. To access the second- and third-floor modular spaces, the Sheehans installed an elevator.

For amenities, the house offers quartz counters, hardwood floors, gas fireplace, ceramic tile floors in baths with floor heater strips, tankless hot-water heater, energy-efficient heating and cooling systems and 50-year architectural shingles. Elevated front and rear screened porches offer scenic views.

Price to build the entire house: $110 per square foot.

That’s considerably lower than many custom homes which usually start about $125 per square foot and can easily reach $200 per square foot.

Modular, by definition, is a green and energy-saving form of construction when compared to typical stick-built, according to Dan Goodin of Nationwide Homes.

“At Nationwide, every home we build comes out of the factory both EnergyStar and green ‘ready’ [some simple on-site items and certification are required for full compliance],” says Goodin.

“Modular offers the same features as stick-built. We partner with the same brands — Merillat cabinets, Pella windows and Whirlpool appliances, so when a customer selects features to put in their home, they can use the same menu as used in stick-built counterparts.”

In Gloucester, Va., Suzanne Cook has been modular through her company Southern Starters for about nine years. Her most recent one is a 2,236-square-foot waterfront house elevated to avoid flooding and outfitted with porches, architectural shingles, high-wind windows, fiberglass doors, custom coastal trim indoors and outdoors, hardwood floors, elevator and 360-degree water views. A standard version of this house costs $95 per square foot, but this one with extras ran $100 per square foot.

“Each home is built with more than 300 inspection approvals in the factory alone,” says Cook.

“Customers are invited to see the factory and how their home is being built; we actually encourage them to visit. For cost control, it’s definitely the way to build because you won’t be surprised with a $20,000-$30,000 price increase at closing.”